I am supposed to give a literal explanation of this poem, but I am really confused by it. Your help will be much appreciated.
Snow & Ice by Quincy Troupe
ice sheets sweep this slick mirrored dark place
space as keys that turn in tight, trigger
pain of situations
where we move ever so slowly
so gently into time — traced agony
the bright turning of imagination
so slowly
grooved through revolving doors, opening up to enter
mountains where spirits walk voices, ever so slowly
swept by cold, breathing fire
as these elliptical moments of illusion
link fragile loves sunk deep in snows as footprints
the voice prints cold black gesticulations
bone bare voices
chewed skeletal choices
in fangs of piranha gales
spewing out slivers of raucous laughter
glinting bright as hard polished silver nails
So is this poem about the speaker walking out in the snow and talking about the thing he is seeing and feeling, or maybe what he has experiance out in the snow?
"in fangs of piranha gales
spewing out slivers of raucous laughter
glinting bright as hard polished silver nails"
So in this part of the poem is it talking about the snow, and when it is really windy it hurts when it hits your skin?
gales=wind? silvers=snow?
You have it.
Thank you SraJMcGin and bobpursley for your help!!!!
Tell your teacher this is inexcusably bad poetry, and that she should be fired for making you read things like this. Read Hart Crane or Geoffrey Hill or Marianne Moore if you want "difficult" poetry that also means something that you can grasp.
To understand this poem, let's break it down and analyze each line.
The poem "Snow & Ice" by Quincy Troupe describes the experience of being surrounded by ice and snow, and how it triggers different sensations and emotions.
The first line, "ice sheets sweep this slick mirrored dark place," creates an image of a cold, slippery landscape covered in ice. The "dark place" could refer to a metaphorical state of mind or environment.
The next line, "space as keys that turn in tight, trigger pain of situations," suggests that the cold and icy surroundings act as triggers, evoking painful memories or situations.
The following lines, "where we move ever so slowly so gently into time — traced agony," depict a slow and deliberate movement into a realm of emotional discomfort or agony.
The phrase "the bright turning of imagination so slowly" suggests that even though the movement is slow, the imagination is vibrant and active, possibly shaping the perception of the surroundings.
The line "grooved through revolving doors, opening up to enter mountains where spirits walk voices, ever so slowly" paints a picture of entering a landscape filled with mountains and spirits. It hints at a sense of the ethereal or otherworldly.
The phrase "swept by cold, breathing fire" expresses the contrast between the icy coldness and a fiery, intense sensation. It captures the dichotomy of cold but alive experience.
The next line, "as these elliptical moments of illusion link fragile loves sunk deep in snows as footprints," introduces the idea of "fragile loves" or relationships being linked to deep emotional experiences. The snows act as a metaphor for emotional footprints or imprints.
The phrase "the voice prints cold black gesticulations" suggests that the speaker's voice echoes in this icy landscape, possibly expressing a sense of despair or anguish.
The line "bone bare voices chewed skeletal choices" conveys the idea of voices stripped down to their essential components, possibly reflecting on difficult decisions or regrets.
The final part, "in fangs of piranha gales spewing out slivers of raucous laughter glinting bright as hard polished silver nails," describes the intense and biting wind, personified as piranha gales. This wind throws out slivers of laughter which have a sharp and almost mocking quality.
In summary, this poem explores the experience of being surrounded by ice and snow, and how it triggers various emotions and memories. It conveys a sense of introspection and delves into the complexities of emotions and relationships.